Utilizing prestin as a predictive marker for the early detection of outer hair cell damage

Purpose

To evaluate prestin as a biomarker for the identification of early ototoxicity.

Materials and methods

Rats (n?=?47) were randomly assigned to five groups: low-dose (LAG) or high-dose (HAG) amikacin (200 and 600?mg/kg/day, respectively, for 10?days), low-dose (LCIS)or high-dose (HCIS) cisplatin (single doses of 5 and 15?mg/kg, respectively, for 3?days), and control (n?=?8). At the end of the experiment, measurement of distortion product-evoked otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) were performed to evaluate hearing, then blood samples and both ear tissues were collected under anesthesia. Prestin levels were determined by ELISA. Cochlear damage was evaluated histologically using a 4-point scoring system.

Results

The mean serum prestin levels were 377.0?±?135.3, 411.3?±?73.1, 512.6?±?106.0, 455.0?±?74.2 and 555.3?±?47.9?pg/ml for control, LCIS, HCIS, LAG and HAG groups, respectively. There was significant difference between prestin levels of Control–LCIS-HCIS groups (p?=?0.031) and prestin levels of Control-LAG-HAG groups (p?=?0.003). There were also significant differences in prestin levels between the low- and high-dose cisplatin and amikacin groups (p?=?0.028 and p?=?0.011, respectively). Each group had significantly lower DPOAE results at 4, 6 and 8?kHz than control groups (p?

Conclusions

Higher doses of cisplatin and amikacin were associated with the greatest increases in serum prestin level and cochlear damage score. The results of this study suggest that prestin is a promising early indicator of cochlear damage.